


Alone

by MusicandDancingThroughLife



Series: How to Care for Your Sharpshooter [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Hurt Lance, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective shiro, protective keith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26208757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicandDancingThroughLife/pseuds/MusicandDancingThroughLife
Summary: Shiro's back, and Lance and Keith are happy to get back to their relationship with him, but why is Lance so nervous around Shiro, and why does Shiro seem so angry around Lance?
Relationships: Keith/Lance/Shiro (Voltron)
Series: How to Care for Your Sharpshooter [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1740649
Comments: 2
Kudos: 237





	Alone

**Author's Note:**

> I actually remember writing this one, though I don't remember like the last 1500 words or so lol. Also, these stories might more around a little, or get renamed, because I'm not sure that the series name fits anymore, so we'll see what happens.

“Lance, what has gotten into you?!” The silence that followed Shiro’s question only angered him further. “LANCE.”

Hunk moved in front of Lance protectively as Lance cringed back. Keith and Allura looked on in horror, while Pidge stepped up next to Hunk. Despite her size, she could sure be intimidating. Keith gripped Lance’s arm, only squeezing harder as Shiro went on a weird rampage, anger met in ferocity only by Hunk’s and Pidge’s own.

Keith wrapped his arm around lance’s shoulders, moving to lead him out of the control room and back to their bedrooms.

Keith tugged Lance into his own bedroom, rarely used now that the three of them were dating, but still kept fairly neat and clean. He easily settled Lance on his lap, then pulled a blanket over to them, carefully but tightly wrapping it around Lance.

Despite his arm steadily being trapped by the blanket, Lance didn’t even blink. He let out a quiet whimper and leaned back into the solid warmth of his boyfriend. Keith cuddled him close, whispering endearments and petnames and stroking his fingers through his hair.

They both knew Shiro was stressed, both tired and suffering from extreme nightmares (and really, who wouldn’t be?), but sometimes Keith wondered if he was the only one who noticed that Lance seemed to be struggling just as much, if not more, some nights. After Keith had returned from the Blade, he knew there was a few nights Lance snuck out of bed, leaving a still and silent Shiro, and spent a few hours in the Observation room. Keith had found him quietly sniffling there, or sometimes he ran into him on his way back from the training room. He was always eager to return to their bed with Keith, and though he’d noticed Lance was a little clingier than usual those nights, Keith didn’t mind and so said nothing. Besides, it wasn’t uncommon still for him to get homesick, though it had gotten better since they had visited and saved Earth. Especially, after they had managed to figure out communications with Earth. So… maybe there was more to it.

Keith glanced back down at his trembling armful, feeling a strange sort of rage towards Shiro. They had agreed they would always be there for each other, and especially they for Lance. He was special to them, and didn’t always take very good care of himself. He gave away too much. He gave too much of himself to others. Too generous. Too selfless. He couldn’t help but press Lance closer to him as he remembered Lance collapsing after he took that hit for Coran. Lance mewed in protest, forcing Keith’s mind back to the task at hand.

He knew Shiro didn’t mean to hurt Lance the way he had. The guilt in his eyes when Hunk had leapt to his defense said as much. Keith wondered if maybe Hunk would know what was bothering his boyfriend. Maybe something had happened while Keith was gone. It was ages ago, but… It was worth asking, at least. Keith glanced down at the now-dozing Lance. He was worth it.

Keith ended up holding and cuddling Lance a lot longer than planned. He didn’t even realize how late it was until a very upset-and-sheepish-looking Shiro peeked in. Keith shot him a half-hearted glare but was too exhausted for much else.

“How is he?” Shiro’s voice was merely a hushed whisper, and a rush of relief flooded Keith at that. He shook his head. “It was rough, Shiro. He’s really not doing well.”

Shiro shuffled in slowly, doubt made visible in his eyes by the soft lights Keith had left on. “I know. I’m sorry.” Before Keith could respond, Shiro continued, “I thought he seemed a little off lately, but I also really hoped I’d been imagining it. Still, I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.”

And damn it, but… Keith really couldn’t stay mad at Shiro.

Shiro must have been something of it in his face, because once he had deemed it to be safe, Shiro joined them at the bed, bending over to scoop up the bundle of Lance and walk him to their shared bedroom. Keith followed close behind.

Lance let out a quiet whine, squirming and nuzzling closer to Shiro’s broad chest. And Shiro knew he was in trouble with Keith, and that he had no right to Lance right now, but he had to stop himself from cooing out loud at the sweet boy in his arms. It had been a while since he had been able to really cuddle with Lance like this. It seemed like he was always after the boy for something or other, and Lance himself had been quite distracted as of late. Come to think of it, it had been a while since he’d really spent any kind of quality time with Lance. At least with Keith, he could say they had spent time strategizing and planning, but Lance had never really helped with that. Not in the same way, at least. Though, that was hardly his fault. He had tried, but… Shiro had always brushed him off. He looked down at the peaceful beauty in his arms. With a sigh, he leant his head forward to nuzzle at Lance’s forehead, smiling gently at the sigh it earned him. He really hadn’t been there for this darling boy, had he? He remembered the way Keith had been there for Lance, pride buzzing in his chest. At least they were still there for each other.

It wasn’t until Shiro had thoroughly tucked their sweetheart into bed that Keith asked, but he had to know. “Shiro, seriously, what’s been up with you? Why did you go off on Lance like that today?”

It took him a few minutes to answer, but he forced himself to as he focused on Lance’s hair, tugging gently at the soft strands that were growing out, much to his horror, but his partners found it endearing. “I’m not entirely sure, Keith.” He owed it to both of them to be honest. “I’ve just… ever since the attack on Earth, I’ve felt so much pressure. Now everyone on Earth knows what we’re trying to do. They’ll know if we fail, and they’ll know that it’s our fault. I can’t… I can’t fail them.” He turned glassy eyes on his boyfriend, willing the tears not to fall just yet.

“I can’t fail Allura and Coran, or Hunk and Pidge. I can’t fail you and Lance. You’re all my family, and I have to make sure Lance gets back to his family. Otherwise everyone will know it was my fault.” He let the tears fall, though his confession wasn’t quite done yet. 

“And I’ve just felt so lost, and, and angry. I’ve lost so much, and the universe keeps trying to take from me and I don’t deserve what I have and I don’t even know how to save this…” Shiro turned to Keith with a desperate, pleading look in his eyes, “I don’t know what to do right now.”

Keith was stunned. He had rarely seen Shiro look so upset, or so devastated. He knew part of the problem was the sleep deprivation the man was suffering from, but he’d had no idea of the rest of it. But. Now that he knew the issue, he could dedicate himself to fixing it. He studied the broken, tired man sitting before him as his mind raced for a plan of attack.

“All right, love, here’s what we’re going to do.”

First, Keith was determined to get Shiro the rest he so desperately needed. Shiro protested, but the next morning, Keith recruited their wonderfully forgiving third, and together, they managed to bully Shiro into getting more than two nights of decent sleep a week. This definitely helped to improve his patience and attitude. Even Coran had seen a difference, which surprised Shiro, as they didn’t normally talk to each other. 

Keith was also determined to give Shiro the snuggles he didn’t know he was craving, but that’s where his plan hit a bit of a snag. Everyone knew that Lance gave some of the best cuddles, but he seemed extremely hesitant to sit with Shiro for too long. After a few minutes of contented silence, he would always manage to wriggle his way out of their blanket nests, announcing he had something he needed to do. Sometimes he claimed he had promised to help Coran or Allura, other times he conveniently remembered a question he had for Hunk or Pidge, but without fail, he refused to sit with the two of them for more than ten minutes.

Though Keith knew that the physical contact Shiro was getting – as well as the sleep – was helping, he also knew that they needed to do something about their darling boy. Time for the second stage of his plan.

Shiro was pleased to find that this stage actually required his help, and that it focused on someone besides him. He was grateful to Keith for the attention he was giving him, but he was also more concerned about Lance than himself. He felt that he needed to do something to make his foul behavior up to their boyfriend. Keith wasn’t the only one who had noticed Lance leaving their bed in the middle of the night frequently. (Though, Shiro did have to admit that now he was getting quality sleep, it was a lot easier to pay attention to what was happening to those around him.) Unfortunately, anytime Shiro or Keith brought it up or tried to talk to Lance, he brushed it off before darting away. It was as cute as it was frustrating. 

But Shiro was determined to change that.

Keith, oddly enough, had been the one to try and find a softer approach to the issue, but it didn’t take long to convince him that this would be the easiest. After all, they had already tried soft, hadn’t they?

So, after insisting Lance take up his old position of sleeping between the two of them instead of on Keith’s left side (and when they hell did he change sleeping positions and why the hell had Shiro not noticed or said anything???), they slowed their breathing and feigned sleep. After nearly an hour, Lance tried to sleep out from the between them. Of course, this was made difficult by his new position, pinned between them, and also by the hands that had shot out to grip his wrists, forcing him to remain in the bed. Lance stayed quiet, but he still squirmed and kicked. Keith shifted his weight so he could pull a leg up across Lance’s and save Shiro some bruises, and Shiro placed his own free hand of Lance’s heaving chest.

“Lance. What’s wrong?” Keith glared, and yeah, maybe Shiro could’ve eased into it, but even in the dim starlight, he could see the exhaustion and pain in Lance’s eyes and it was killing him. He went to rub Lance’s stomach. 

“C’mon, kitten, talk to us, please?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Lance spat at them, though the effect was ruined by his heavy breathing.

“What the hell do you mean it doesn’t matter?” Keith demanded.

“Look, it’s not something we need to worry about, okay? I know that I’m useless, and that I need to work harder and be better. I get it, okay? Just let me adjust to that—”

“Lance, what the hell are you talking about?” Shiro broke in, bewildered. “Where did you get that idea? Who the hell told you that?”

Lance resolutely slammed his mouth shut. He was still struggling, either trying to further cover his mouth with his hand, or to twist his face into the pillows beneath him but neither of them allowed that. Finally, Lance had to admit defeat. He slumped against the bed, still panting heavily. He mumbled something and Shiro sighed. “A little louder please?”

“…you did.”

Shiro could feel the anger rising in Keith, but couldn’t spare the attention or energy to deal with that. When the fuck did he say that? Why the fuck did he say that? He knew he didn’t mean that, had never even thought that, so why the heck did Lance think he did? Why was Lance even still with them, with him, if he thought Shiro believed that? Why did he have no memory of saying anything like that? Before he realized it, he had loosened his grip on Lance, and Lance tried to bolt. Thankfully, Keith was quicker and caught him, pinning him back against his chest, arms and legs wrapped around him so securely that Lance didn’t even try to escape the hold. With Lance secure, Keith returned to glaring at Shiro, but Shiro didn’t respond.

Instead, he stared at his new arm, thinking hard. “Lance,” he said slowly. “Did… did the clone say that?”

Keith froze. Lance’s mouth remained stubbornly closed, but there were tears trickling down his cheeks. Shiro felt like the breath had been knocked out of him. 

“Lance,” he breathed. He grabbed Lance’s hand in his own, other raised to cup the side of his face, looking directly into those incredible blue eyes. “I swear to you I don’t think that. I love you. You’re precious to me. And I need you. We need you. Please don’t shut us out and please stop letting yourself hurt by yourself. Let us be here for you.”

There was a few minutes’ silence where Lance just stared back at him, still crying, mouth slightly agape. But then finally, finally he nodded. Keith relaxed his hold on Lance, nuzzling gently at the top of his head. Shiro let out the breath he’d been holding and leaned in to hug both of his beautiful boys closer to him.

Even if it took him the rest of his life, he was going to prove to Lance just how important he was to Shiro.


End file.
